November 3, 2026 at 6:59 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisHornets' Defense and Brandon Miller Get a Test Against Thin, Newly Won Brooklyn
Charlotte's defense and Brandon Miller's scoring should be enough to edge a short-handed Nets team.
- CHA @ BKN Nov 5, 2026 at 12:30 AM UTC
Charlotte arrives at 3-3 with a lopsided profile. The Hornets' offense is last in the league at a 99.2 offensive rating, and they have posted the NBA's two lowest scoring totals, 81 and 79 points. Their defense has climbed to seventh, though, and that is how they have stayed level. Against a Brooklyn team still trying to find its footing, that defensive base matters most.
The scoring answer may come from Brandon Miller, who just set a career high with 39 points and looks central to what Charlotte wants to do. He is not alone. Newcomers Naz Reid (16.2 ppg), Grayson Allen (13.5) and Dennis Schröder (13.0) are among the team's top four scorers, so the Hornets have some shot-creation spread around Miller. Coby White, Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams have yet to make their season debuts. Knueppel's availability was uncertain, so any return would be a bonus rather than something to count on.
Brooklyn is 1-5 after beating Indiana 98-90 for its first win. Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. each topped 20 points in that game, and that pair gives the Nets their clearest scoring path. The supporting cast is the concern. Egor Demin is out with a right bone bruise, and four other Nets are unavailable because of G League deals or assignments. That leaves little depth to absorb a poor shooting night or to match Charlotte's varied scorers.
Expect a low-to-mid scoring game in which Brooklyn's top two keep it close. Charlotte's defense and extra scoring options should decide it late. I'll take the Hornets 104-99.